KickStarter Spotlight: Freedom Planet

It has been a while since we have really taken an in depth look to one of the fields in which KickStarter has benefited the most; indie game developers. As most everyone knows, indie game sales have exploded over the last few years; bolstered by better distribution methods like Steam and a more willing Sony and Microsoft. It goes without saying that a strong indie market is one of the most important factors to a great gaming industry. Recognizing this, our choice for this week’s KickStarter Spotlight is Freedom Planet, a game that will harken strongly back to the days when Sonic and MegaMan were dominating the console market.

And by harken, I mean to say that I could see more than a few people finding this to be a strange, ill-advised Sonic offshoot; that is how similar Freedom Planet looks like the classic Sonic The Hedgehog games. There is a large difference between retro graphics and pixel art, and Freedom Planet’s graphics are most certainly encamped in the former. While I see where the developers are coming from, I feel that the execution is potentially just a little weak and the levels just do not seem to have the same pop and charm of the games it is emulating. What is charming, however, are the character models. These wide-eyed Powerpuff anthropomorphic animals certainly deliver the looks and will garner anyone’s sympathy upon their virtual demise.

In terms of gameplay, it is not surprising to note that the game does borrow heavily from Sonic, but there are enough new elements interwoven to make it really stand on its own. Each character has their own special move and these seem to work in a myriad of ways ranging from conjuring a motorcycle to reflective shields. I do not have a hard time imagining how the wide range of character options and breakneck game speed would attract modern gamers who, as a whole, are very willing to give any deserving indie game a shot. This is aided by the fact that Freedom Planet is being developed for just about every platform other than the PS3 or Xbox 360, including potentially an Android version. Any remaining doubt of this game’s success is quelled upon looking at their KickStarter page and noticing that with still a week to go, Freedom Planet has garnered almost nine times its original goal. Their biggest challenge now is getting approved for Steam through Steam’s Greenlight program, so for any platformer fans who are looking for a new indie game, head over to the Freedom Planet KickStarter and Steam Greenlight page and help make this game a reality.

Joseph Bertolini

Joseph is an Mechanical Engineering student at The Ohio State University as well as an amateur photographer.

Definitely one of the more popular Kickstarters lately, and its done so well for itself! The game is being highly praised by pretty much any and all reviews (including our own) and for good reason. The game is a hoot, to say the least. Sure, it started out borrowing from Sonic, but it has evolved into so much more. Such a fun game that anyone and everyone should be sure to check out!